Portable scaffold



(No Model.)

9.BARNEs-. PORTABLE SGAFFOLD.

No. 499,999. PatentedJumzo, 1893.

am Mes. mm2@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` GEORGE BARNES, OF ALLEGl-IENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

'PORTABLE SCAFFOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,699, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed October 5, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Scaffolds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of portable scaifolds designed for supporting iexible hose used by firemen in conducting water to burning dwellings and other buildings.

The invention I have made consists in such construction of a light skeleton scaffold as that it may be folded together into small compass for ready and convenient transportation on wheels, and when brought to the place, where its services are required, it can be unfolded, erected and spread over a street across the same at an altitude sufficiently high to enable cars,wagons and other vehicles to freely pass under any line of hose laid on and supported thereby, as hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved scaold erected over and across a street high above rail-way car tracks arranged thereon; Fig. 2, a top view or plan of the same; Fig. 3, the scaffold doubled up ready for transportation. Fig. 4 represents a detail View.

To put my invention into practice I construct a skeleton frame consisting of three light iron ladders A. B. C. so hinged together as to admit of being folded one upon the other or spread and erected to form an overhead platform or bridge-the side bars d. of which are connected by means of intervening rungs c. after the manner usual in such cases.

The lower portion of each outside ladder A. B. is provided with a long slot f. througli which extends the axle g. of a pair of wheels D. used in transporting the structure from place to place-and the legs of said outside Serial No. 447,968. (No model.)

ladders are made adjustable up and down on the axles and secured at different heights thereon by means of a sliding bar E. held in position by suitable set screws F. whereby any irregular surface of the street may be equalized and the scaffold maintained in a level and proper position. n

When the ladders are unfolded and erected the two outside sections incline one toward' the other, supporting between them in a horizontal plane the middle section, thus forming a broad overhead platform or scaffold H. the outside or inclined sections forming ladders thereto and which are prevented from farther spreading apart by means of pivotally connected short bars i. at their points of j unoture with the middle section, which is provided with open longitudinally arranged slats j. to form a foot walk-and in addition thereto with slightly elevated transverse rollers k. to expedite the drawing of hose along and over the same. It is also provided with suitable hand rails Z. on each side thereof-and to p revent lateral swaying or side movement of the elevated scaffold each inclined section has pivoted thereto and on each side thereof an adjustable prop or stay m. that may be set on the ground in any position calculated to assist in maintaining the scaffold in proper position and above the rail-way tracks p. to permit the free passage thereunder of cars, wagons and other vehicles and without interfering in any manner with the hose or thing supported by said scaffold.

Having thus described my improved supporting scaffold, I claiml. The combination consisting of aplatform or scaffold capable of being elevated and maintained in a horizontal position by means of a ladder pivoted to each end thereof and adapted to fold upon said platform, a pair of wheels at the lower end of each ladder as a means for transporting the same-and aslottedsliding bar secured by means of a set screw on the legs of each ladder whereby the same may be adj usted with respect to length.

2. The combination consisting of aplatform or scaffold capable of being elevated and maintained in a horizontal position across a 2 A 499,699 v l l street-a ladder pivoted to each end of said transverselyacrosssaidplatform-and ahand platform and adapted to be folded thereon-a rail on each side thereof. bar or short stop pivoted to the top end of each ladder and connecting the same with the GEORGE BARNES' 5 platform to prevent undue spreading of the Witnesses:

ladders when the platform is elevated to its JOSIAH W. ELLS, greatest height-two or more rollers arranged WM. S. BOSTWICK. 

